Rudder construction for vessels



July 1, 1952 J. c. DEAN 2,601,837

RUDDER CONSTRUCTION FOR VESSELS 1111801 Jan. 1o, 1951 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 IIIIIIIIIIIAI I||` l? Q w W INVENTOR L//f aya@ @g/W ATTORNEY July l, 1952 J. c. DEAN 2,601,837

RUDOER CONSTRUCTION FOR VESSELS Filed Jan. lO, 1951 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 .NS2/(g 5,

Patented July l, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlCE 4 Claims.

This invention pertains to navigation of ships, barges, and similar vessels, and more particularly it relates to a new rudder steering arrangement for improving the navigability as well as the maneuverability of such vessels.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a new rudder design that will have an increased rudder efficiency over conventional type rudders.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unique rudder arrangement that will assist materially in improving the steerability, navigability as well as the maneuverability of ships, vessels and barges.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a rudder design that will decrease the overall running time of a vessel between operating ports.

Even still another object of this invention is to provide a rudder arrangement for rapidly changing either the direction or speed of a vessels motion, and also to facilitate the rapid turning of large vessels, ships, and the like in any direction and within limited space requirements.

Further even still an object of this invention is to provide a rudder arrangement which is simple in design,V economical to manufacture, accurate and efficient in operation, and finally, which is inexpensive to maintain and to replace.

To summarize briefly, this invention pertains to a new rudder design or construction thatconsists of a pair of fixed blades in parallel spaced relationship with each other. These blades are located on either side of the center of the propeller and propeller shaft and symmetrically therewith. The faces of the blades nearest to the propeller are sharpened so as to reduce drag forces to a minimum. In addition, skirt members are located integral with the upper and lower edges of each blade to control the flow of water past the rudder arrangement.

These and other objects are affected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this invention, in which:

Fig. l is a view of the stern of the vessel showing a detailed side elevational view of the rudder construction;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the rudder arrangement looking in the direction of the bow of the vessel;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the rudder arrangement looking from the propeller of the 2 vessel in the direction of the rudder construction; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rudder taken along line I-Iof Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

rfhis rudder arrangement, which comprises my invention, is shown in the drawings in a preferred embodiment, although it is to be understood that departures from the construction and arrangement shown in the drawings can be made without departing from my inventive concept.

Referring now to the drawings, reference nup meral IIJ refers generally to the hull of a vessel having located at its stern my unique rudder construction or arrangement, indicated generally by reference numeral I3. The rudder arrangement is located directly to the rear of the vessels propeller I6 and` centrally therewith. Rudder arrangement I3, as best illustrated in either Figs. 2, 3 or 4, consists of two blades I9 and 22 that are located in a xed parallel spaced relationship with each other. These blades I9 and 22 are separatedV from each other by three support plates. Two of these'support plates 24 and 28 are identical in shape and are located at the upper and lower portions, 26 and, 29, respectively, of the blades I9 and 22 and transversely thereto. The other support plate 3I is located parallel to-support plates 25`and 28 and centrally therewith. It has the same surface area as support plates 25 and 28, but is slightly less in thickness. These support plates, 25, 28, and 3|, are welded as their ends to blades I9 and 22 so as to form one integral rudder assembly.

The forward ends 34 of the blades I9, and 22, the ends nearest to the ships propeller I6, are sharpened so as to reduce drag forces on the blades as Well as to give better flow of water past these blades. The rear face 31 of these blades as Well as the forward and rear faces of support plates 25, 28, and 3| are transverse to the blades. This is best illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5.

At the top portion 26 of the rudder arrangement I3 there are located two angle irons 43 adjacent to each blade. These angle irons eX- tend throughout the length of blades I9 and 22 and are welded thereto. Portion 44 of angle irons 43 extend substantially transversely to the blades I9 and 22. At the lower face of support plate 28 of the rudder arrangement I3, there are located two skirt members 46 which extend transversely to blades I9 and 22 and throughout the length of the blades. Skirt members 46 are welded to lower support plate 28. It is the purpose of the angle irons 43 in conjunction with skirt members 46 and the outer faces 49 of blades to control the flow of the Water past the rudder arrangement I3 by holding the water media against the rudder so that it does not spread.

A shaft 52, passing through a bearing arrangement 54, in the stern portion of the vessel is used to control rudder arrangement'IS. At the upper end 55 of shaft 52 there is attached one end 58 of a helm member 6I. At the other end 64 of helm member 6I, there is a tiller means 61 which is in cooperation with the pilot wheel (not shown).

The other end of shaft 52 is attached to upper support plate 25 through a circular, non-cor.- rosive flange member 'I0 which is bolted to support plate 25 by means of bolts 13. These bolts are equally spaced about the circular ange member 10.

Rudder arrangement I3 is supported at its lower portion by a strut member I6 that extends rearwardly from the stern portion of the vessel. A pin shaft, located directly in line with shaft 52, is mounted between the lower support plate 28 and strut member 1.6. It is the purpose of the pin shaft to allow free and easy movement of the rudder arrangement I3 located thereabove. This pin shaft 'I9 is supported at its upper portion by means of a strut iron 82, shown best in Fig. 2. A bearing arrangement, shown generally at 85, is located about pin shaft 19, and it consists of a cylindrical rubber member 38 enclosing a portion `of pin shaft 19. Rubber member 8.8, in turn, is enclosed in a brass bushing 9|, -which is contained in a cylindrical housing 94. For best operating purposes, it has been found advisable to locatethe center of shafts 52 and 'I9 approximately one-fourth of the distance from the front edge of the rudder for better balance. The center of the rudder should be in direct linewith thecenter line of the propeller and propeller shaft, with the blades I9 and 22 symmetrically located on either side of the center line.

Ina general manner, while I have described what Ideem to be the practical and eiicient embodiment of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might vbe changes made in the arrangement, disposition, and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the present l.

invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a hull of a vessel, a

propeller mounted on the rear of said hull above the keel line of the hull, and a helm; of a rudder steering arrangement comprising a rudder which is rectangular in section and consists of two horizontal, spaced plates and two vertical spaced plates xedly mounted between said horizontal spaced plates at the edges thereof, the surfaces of said plates being solid and uninterrupted, means mounted on the forward half of said horizontal plates for pivotally'mounting said rectangular rudder to said hull for movement about a vertical axis and positioned immediately behind said propeller, the periphery of said rectangle lying substantially wholly within the tip path of said propeller, and horizontal solid and uninterrupted flanges extending along the top and vbottom corners on both sides of said rectangular rudder to form two channels along the outside of said rectangular member to retain and thereby control the ilow of the water along the outside of said rectangular rudder whereby the water flowing from the propeller will pass through the rectangular rudder and within said channels and will be Vpositively containedwithin said rudder and channels vduring the passage therethrough so that-thewater pressure can be efficiently utilized.

2 The `combination according to claim l, in

JAMES CLYDE DEAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 132,991 Thomas Nov. 12, 1872 2,299,400 Marler Oct. 20, 1942 2,369,279

Carnaghan et al. Feb. 13, 1945 

